3 Questions To Ask On Your Official Visit To Play D1
“Where do you want to go?”
“What do you want to study?”
It is difficult to know what you want before you even know what to expect. I was frequently asked those questions when I was nearing the end of my high-school days. But the truth is, at 17 I didn’t have the answer. I knew I wanted to play volleyball in college and that was about it. I had no idea what to anticipate but I was ready for whatever change was necessary, I just wanted to play.
The recruiting process is an overwhelming and tiring period. It was challenging to get a good grasp of the team’s culture and a feel for the university in such a short 2-day visit. There were so many questions I asked to try and get the best feel for the team environment and cohesiveness. After my fair share of transferring, I noticed 3 questions that stuck out as most important. Of course, understanding the relationship between the athletes and all the staff that work closely with them is prominent in getting a basic understanding for the foundation of the program. It is just as important to get a good grasp on how the team likes their coaching staff, their athletic trainers, the weight coaching staff, the academic counseling staff, and most importantly, how the team gets along internally. Remember, this is a sales opportunity for the program, a time for the coaches to pitch their product with its most presentable face. Take into consideration the ambiance of the whole trip and all the people you meet along the way. Try to envision this being your life for the next 4 or 5 years. After being recruited from high school and then transferring two more times during my collegiate career; I learned 3 valuable questions that will give you the best insight into a university and its athletic program before making your first big life decision:
1. What kind of student-athlete development is available at the university or within the athletic program to prepare the athletes for the transition after college?
Your academic counselor is a key part of your experience. Get to know them well along with the student-athlete facility is important when first visiting because you will be spending a lot of time there working with your counselor. The academic counselor’s main priority is to help you schedule all your classes, monitor your progress throughout the year, and help get you tutoring for any subject you need. They can also help you find connections in the school or other opportunities that are available for athletes specifically. My advice, take advantage of all this. Become friends with them as they are a great resource to have and one that other students don’t get. When you become a junior start looking for internships and other ways to prepare for after college. Again, I know, it’s hard to prepare for something when you have no idea what to expect—after college is a whole other topic. Help yourself get a head start by preparing for it before it happens. There is a whole team of people at your disposal and usually a building dedicated to athletes and helping them succeed academically. If you do not have them on your agenda during your visit then you should absolutely make it a priority to meet the team’s academic counselor.
2. How many players left the program before graduating in the past 5 years?
When asking this question it is also important to keep in mind how long the coaching staff has been with the team. A newer coaching staff will be in the process of building their program and setting the expectations, whereas a team that is more set in place with an older coaching staff already has an established culture. Understanding if the team is bought in is a great way to learn the cohesiveness between the coaching staff and the players. This is one of the most important questions as it indirectly asks for the truth behind the sales pitch. Look for patterns in the answer and let that lead you to more questions. During an official visit, you are interviewing them and making sure their program and everything they have to offer is a good fit for you as much as they are interviewing you making sure you are a good fit for them. If they have had a high number of transfers or players quitting that may hint at the fact that there’s more going on behind the scenes than what they are leading on. A good leading question to the one above is, how many of the players that left/transferred were in your same position? If a good portion of the players who left played your same position that might indicate something about the player-coach dynamic on that team especially within a certain position. Understanding the history of the program and what percentage of players stay to graduate is very helpful when making your decision. Every time a teammate leaves it will change the dynamic of the team. If it is common for the program to have mid-year transfers, it becomes harder to find consistency as a group and rhythm as a unit.
This last question is a little different as it is meant for you to ask yourself…
3. Would I be happy going to this school if I didn’t play sports?
When I was going through the recruiting process and traveling across the country to my official visits someone asked me this question. I didn’t fully understand it and thought it was irrelevant o my situation. My main focus was to play wherever I got the best offer, I wasn’t concerned about whether I liked the school and the town without the sports aspect of it. My mentality was that I was getting a higher education FOR volleyball then I learned I was thinking about it all wrong. Later in my collegiate career, I finally understood that I was going to school for my education, and for myself, WHILE playing volleyball. I was chasing my pride and padding my ego, trying to play at the highest level I could and I lost sight of what was most important. Me. I was so focused on the athletic side of it, I missed the importance of everything else. Ask yourself if you can imagine being a normal student and being happy here. Do you enjoy the general feel for the school and the location it is in? Finding the right environment that you fully enjoy—minus the sport, is what is most important when making a good decision, the right decision.
I hope this provides guidance for you during your official visits. It can be a daunting and confusing time but take the time to make sure you are making the best decision. I want to help those who feel they need more guidance during this period in life, whether you are going on official visits or transferring to another program. The rules are a bit different when transferring but everything else remains the same. It is hard to make such a big decision that holds a lot of weight on your future. So ask any questions that come to mind, as no questions are bad ones. This is your time to evaluate the situation and ensure that the school is the best fit for you. This is an exciting time in your life as you are about to embark on one of the most memorable journeys and remarkable experiences while creating some ever-lasting memories and friendships.
